bloghttp://blog.bazaarvoice.com
Strategies for engaging consumers in a social, mobile, data-driven world.Mon, 30 Mar 2015 14:50:11 +0000en-UShourly1Building consumer-generated content into the brick-and-mortar experiencehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bazaarvoice/QLJF/~3/goZkwgMlv4g/
http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/03/23/building-consumer-generated-content-into-the-brick-and-mortar-experience/#commentsTue, 24 Mar 2015 01:35:32 +0000http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/?p=11784We’ve all seen it in the news - but in spite of the unwavering headlines, announcing the timely death of brick-and-mortar retail, we seem to have hit a wall. New stories are emerging in the industry, which suggest that brick-and-mortar still holds importance in the marketplace.
The truth is, that physical stores still have sizeable, significant and strategic business benefits for retailers and brands alike. From the American retailer LL Bean to Google, organisations are re-building their bridges to the abundant offline world. But, why?
“The Experience Economy” – that’s why.
In a similar way to how, the roles and definitions of content and ownership, has become ubiquitous over the last few years; so has our consideration of what accounts as part of the human experience. The proliferation of technology that has embedded itself into our every-day lives, undoubtedly offers us a wealth of information and convenience, readily available at our fingertips, but it has also awoken an unshakable desire in consumers, to feel connected at an utterly human level. Research has suggested that 72% of millennials seek to increase their spending on “experiences”. This is the Experience Economy. And, what’s even more compelling? That the same research unveiled that 69% say that their experiences make them feel more connected to their communities, other people, and the world…and your brand.
As a consumer-centric industry, the ability to tap into this thirst to offer something truly experiential both online and offline, is a bit like owning the legendary Golden Fleece. But, be wary, consumers are now conditioned to expect these new standards of convenience and transcendence. To leverage these themes offline, in an experiential way is tricky. That’s where CGC comes in!
The online benefits of CGC are well published in industry press, blogs and such like; from increased SEO and key-word targetting to, increased engagement and conversion. CGCs offline benefits, on the other hand, has not had quite as much attention though. So let’s look at a couple examples of how to integrate CGC into brick-and-mortar retail.
#1 – The first way is pretty simple: leverage CGC in your existing comms plan. This content can be in the form of photos, reviews, tweets, comments – anything, really. Whether you decide to integrate these into on-shelf promotions, billboards or TV advertising; the inclusion of CGC in mass communications, helps create a brand image that is actively listening and proactive - it can also surprise and delight the growing consumer-sceptics out there.
Lidl in the UK, for example, has been using this technique as part of their multi-million pound Lidl Surprises campaign. By harnessing local social content and buying print media in and around areas of the content’s origin, they have managed to boost trustworthiness and footfall. More importantly, they’ve cut through the public’s preconceptions of how supermarkets interact with consumers, to create a truly differentiated offering. Clever media buying and the right platform is what counts here!#2 – Admittedly, my second how-to is more advanced and requires a little more investment, but if you’re a brand or retailer who has great social engagement – or you’re looking to achieve great engagement, this level of interaction will cannon-ball your brand! This time, we’re talking about the curation of real-time social content, displayed digitally in-store to augment and lengthen the customer experience. That sounds like a mouthful, doesn’t it? But, it’s really not complicated, let’s break it down.
Let’s say that you’re a destination apparel brand focussed on a youth market; this will probably mean that two of your biggest business pressures are to increase “size of basket” and the conversion from “footfall to purchase”. How do you do it? You already heavily invest in your brand and store experience, so what’s next? Appoint CGC to lengthen the customer experience, increase brand engagement and encourage peer-to-peer purchasing. One way to do this would be to create brick-and-mortar store designs with digital displays to capture this content. Sounds good, but what would this actually look like for the customer?
Well, as a young customer who has just popped into my nearest store and bought a couple of items, I can Instagram, tweet or post a photo of my items with a hashtag, or social handle. This would then be picked up by the brand or retailer, approved and, displayed in real-time, shown in store on-screen. For me, the customer, it shows my brand values me and I get to become part of the story. For other customers (or customers-to-be) walking around the store it inspires their own shopping behaviours and piques their interest to join in the story too. What does that mean for the retailer and brand? A higher conversion rate and a larger basket-size, not to mention you’ll also increase your intangible social assets, as a result. In marketing, that’s a win-win!
Those examples are only the beginning. Discovering new ways to build consumer conversations into your marketing strategy is key to brand-building in this new marketplace, we live in. The pursuit of bringing CGC offline, is not only necessary for individual organisational success, but for the overall progression and development of the retail category, as a whole. As millennials (and consumers in general) shift from seeing offline and online as separate entities, we must work tirelessly to amalgamate the experience and deliver something seamless and of value. New technologies may be the toolkit, but a new frame of mind will seal the deal.]]>We’ve all seen it in the news - but in spite of the unwavering headlines, announcing the timely death of brick-and-mortar retail, we seem to have hit a wall. New stories are emerging in the industry, which suggest that brick-and-mortar still holds importance in the marketplace.
The truth is, that physical stores still have sizeable, significant and strategic business benefits for retailers and brands alike. From the American retailer LL Bean to Google, organisations are re-building their bridges to the abundant offline world. But, why?
“The Experience Economy” – that’s why.
In a similar way to how, the roles and definitions of content and ownership, has become ubiquitous over the last few years; so has our consideration of what accounts as part of the human experience. The proliferation of technology that has embedded itself into our every-day lives, undoubtedly offers us a wealth of information and convenience, readily available at our fingertips, but it has also awoken an unshakable desire in consumers, to feel connected at an utterly human level. Research has suggested that 72% of millennials seek to increase their spending on “experiences”. This is the Experience Economy. And, what’s even more compelling? That the same research unveiled that 69% say that their experiences make them feel more connected to their communities, other people, and the world…and your brand.
As a consumer-centric industry, the ability to tap into this thirst to offer something truly experiential both online and offline, is a bit like owning the legendary Golden Fleece. But, be wary, consumers are now conditioned to expect these new standards of convenience and transcendence. To leverage these themes offline, in an experiential way is tricky. That’s where CGC comes in!
The online benefits of CGC are well published in industry press, blogs and such like; from increased SEO and key-word targetting to, increased engagement and conversion. CGCs offline benefits, on the other hand, has not had quite as much attention though. So let’s look at a couple examples of how to integrate CGC into brick-and-mortar retail.
#1 – The first way is pretty simple: leverage CGC in your existing comms plan. This content can be in the form of photos, reviews, tweets, comments – anything, really. Whether you decide to integrate these into on-shelf promotions, billboards or TV advertising; the inclusion of CGC in mass communications, helps create a brand image that is actively listening and proactive - it can also surprise and delight the growing consumer-sceptics out there.
Lidl in the UK, for example, has been using this technique as part of their multi-million pound Lidl Surprises campaign. By harnessing local social content and buying print media in and around areas of the content’s origin, they have managed to boost trustworthiness and footfall. More importantly, they’ve cut through the public’s preconceptions of how supermarkets interact with consumers, to create a truly differentiated offering. Clever media buying and the right platform is what counts here!#2 – Admittedly, my second how-to is more advanced and requires a little more investment, but if you’re a brand or retailer who has great social engagement – or you’re looking to achieve great engagement, this level of interaction will cannon-ball your brand! This time, we’re talking about the curation of real-time social content, displayed digitally in-store to augment and lengthen the customer experience. That sounds like a mouthful, doesn’t it? But, it’s really not complicated, let’s break it down.
Let’s say that you’re a destination apparel brand focussed on a youth market; this will probably mean that two of your biggest business pressures are to increase “size of basket” and the conversion from “footfall to purchase”. How do you do it? You already heavily invest in your brand and store experience, so what’s next? Appoint CGC to lengthen the customer experience, increase brand engagement and encourage peer-to-peer purchasing. One way to do this would be to create brick-and-mortar store designs with digital displays to capture this content. Sounds good, but what would this actually look like for the customer?
Well, as a young customer who has just popped into my nearest store and bought a couple of items, I can Instagram, tweet or post a photo of my items with a hashtag, or social handle. This would then be picked up by the brand or retailer, approved and, displayed in real-time, shown in store on-screen. For me, the customer, it shows my brand values me and I get to become part of the story. For other customers (or customers-to-be) walking around the store it inspires their own shopping behaviours and piques their interest to join in the story too. What does that mean for the retailer and brand? A higher conversion rate and a larger basket-size, not to mention you’ll also increase your intangible social assets, as a result. In marketing, that’s a win-win!
Those examples are only the beginning. Discovering new ways to build consumer conversations into your marketing strategy is key to brand-building in this new marketplace, we live in. The pursuit of bringing CGC offline, is not only necessary for individual organisational success, but for the overall progression and development of the retail category, as a whole. As millennials (and consumers in general) shift from seeing offline and online as separate entities, we must work tirelessly to amalgamate the experience and deliver something seamless and of value. New technologies may be the toolkit, but a new frame of mind will seal the deal.]]>http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/03/23/building-consumer-generated-content-into-the-brick-and-mortar-experience/feed/0http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/03/23/building-consumer-generated-content-into-the-brick-and-mortar-experience/10 SXSW sessions you absolutely can’t miss!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bazaarvoice/QLJF/~3/Q-36I1J5jWk/
http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/03/12/10-sxsw-sessions-you-absolutely-cant-miss/#commentsThu, 12 Mar 2015 16:11:47 +0000http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/?p=11776Are you new to SXSW and have no idea which sessions to attend? Maybe you are just overwhelmed by the hundreds of options available to you. As Social Media Strategist at Bazaarvoice, I’m uniquely qualified to survey the SXSW landscape for the best sessions related to consumer-generated content and the world of e-commerce. I’ve complied a list of ten sessions that you don’t want to miss.

Friday, March 13th sessions

Beacons, mPay, and the Great Shopper Reboot
From showrooming to webrooming, consumers started using personal technology to transform the shopping experience long before retailers themselves caught on. But with the emergence of in-store sensor and beacon technology and the push toward mobile payments, retail is hoping to regain some control of their own stores. Can they? Will they? Should they? What does “consumer-centric” shopping look like? We ask retail brands at the cutting edge of these technologies what they hope to achieve in rebooting the in-store moment and connecting it to the rest of the consumer’s digital path to purchase.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP43195Content Marketing vs. Don Draper: The End of Ads
From branded entertainment and viral video to native advertising and social media presence, the real innovation—creative energy and money in digital marketing—seem to be headed away from traditional advertising. It is all about content now. Brands are publishers, entertainers, resources. Sponsors don’t interrupt digital media experiences; they help build and enhance them. They need to reach out to niche audiences in countless smaller channels with custom content that is relevant to each consumer. So, is advertising as we know it a relic of twentieth-century mass media? Is there still room for the big idea in this world of fragmented, personalized experiences? Is Don Draper obsolete?
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP43197

Saturday, March 14th sessions

Can Anyone Really Trust User-Generated Content?
We all do it. We all read online reviews to help pick a restaurant, select the new TV for our living room, or choose a new dry cleaner. We look at likes and user comments on music and video sites to identify emerging artists and get a sense of whether the next Hollywood blockbuster is really that good. We often rely on search rankings to tell us which pages have the most informative and valuable content. People have more access to—and more frequently rely upon—the recommendations of their peers than ever before. The feedback of others we believe to be “like us” has the power to make or break goods and services. This begs the question: Does the market have an obligation to safeguard the authenticity of user-generated content? Join Bazaarvoice CEO Gene Austin as he discusses the dark side of social media, the impact of inauthentic behavior on businesses and consumers, and what each of us can do to create a web worthy of our trust.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP41634Are Brands Sabotaging Their Own Content?
A successful content marketer is both artist and mediator. It’s his or her job to create and defend a winning idea that delivers value for the reader and the brand. But anyone involved in this space is well aware of the “too many cooks” metaphor— an overabundance of ideas, options, and voices will pollute even the most brilliant execution. Since branded content is inherently multi-led, how can you co-create without publishing a muddled product?
In a kitchen with two to three executive chefs, how do you stop brands from sabotaging their own content? The answer lies in developing a highly disciplined, collaborative process that manages expectations and goals across the process chain from brand all the way to content creator. But we won’t lie—it’s hard. Very hard. Our panel will consist of content marketers from brand, agency, and publisher teams that are leaders in the space and thus able to speak to best practices for creative collaboration and co-creation.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP38127

Sunday, March 15th sessions

The Future of Native Advertising
Suddenly, native advertising is everywhere—in your searches, favorite publications, and social feeds. But really, native has been around for a long time. Part of the reason native advertising has exploded recently is that consumers are hard to pin down. They are constantly mobile, use multiple devices, have shorter attention spans than ever, and demand relevance in everything they consume. Therefore, marketers must be more strategic with their ad creation; meanwhile, social platforms must prove that they can be profitable businesses, and publishers are desperate for new revenue streams. The result is the perfect storm of native advertising creation. However, content simply disguised as part of the experience, with a subtle “sponsored” tag, is hardly innovative. Native advertising is the future, but it will look very different from what we see today. In this panel we will discuss the future of successful native advertising and why it will benefit both advertisers and consumers.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP40560Screw Privacy—Just Give Me Value for My Data
The value exchange between consumers and businesses is one of the fundamentals of modern marketing. However, the marketplace has generally treated the practice of gathering and analyzing big data as a trade secret, creating an environment of standoffishness with everyday consumers. Companies have a responsibility to educate consumers on the fundamentals of their data collection practices. Do consumers likewise need to be more aware of how companies use their personal data and hold accountable businesses that don’t deliver a benefit in return? Would an open dialogue about the data exchange increase engagement between businesses and shoppers and create a more mutually beneficial environment where companies sell more and consumers are happier with their purchases? Join Lisa Pearson and Lee Maicon, Chief Strategy Officer at 360i, as they discuss the issue of data literacy and the data value exchange between shoppers and businesses.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP39661

Monday, March 16th sessions

Why Ecommerce Must Learn from the Media Revolution
In 2005 you had, perhaps, three news sites you followed, and it was manageable to visit them all. But as self-publishing exploded, those sites suddenly expanded to include friends’ Livejournals and blogs, funny tumblrs, and more. There was RSS, but that was for nerds, and all this content just wasn’t manageable anymore.
Enter Twitter. Staying atop media was now as easy as a “follow.” In addition, you could use your own friends as a filter. It changed news discovery forever and tailored content to each user. How does this apply to e-commerce? Much like self-publishing, the explosion of easy e-commerce software, from Shopify to Etsy, has given us far more options than are manageable. Now, we are waiting for the solution—the equivalent to Twitter—that will let us search across all these stores, discover new ones, and leverage our friends. This session explores the emerging solutions, what this means to retailers, and how they can end up a Buzzfeed and not a New York Times.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP41599Retail Tech: What Does the Future Have In-Store?
Customer expectation is rapidly accelerating. It outpaces the ability of retailers to keep up. And mobile? Uhh, not only did iOS8 redefine what “mobile” even means (btw, your phone isn’t mobile…you are; it’s just in your pocket), but almost every retailer and his or her mother has started producing wearable tech.
What does this mean? Well, stores are no longer the end-all and be-all. Their value is their influence on the path to purchase. Stores, my friends, are a touch point. A channel. And they’re changing so rapidly that the boundaries of stores, delivery, and even “associates” are changing by the day.
So we’ll get into it. How to gather the same data in store as online. How to gather new data (e.g., it’s possible to measure your heart rate with infrared from thirty feet away), and how to intelligently cut through the noise of all the emerging tech in the retail space so you hear about what’s worked and what’s failed and leave with a framework for how to assess your retail strategy moving forward.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP35138

Tuesday, March 17th sessions

Show and Smell: Marketing Experiences Beyond Visual
The “Show and Smell” guys are back! Showcasing emerging technologies and sensory marketing, this is a hands-on crowd experience of leading-edge technologies. Show and Smell defines key tenets of making new technology work in promotions and experiential marketing programs. With live demonstrations of prototypes and technologies you won’t see every day—these innovations bring together the physical and digital to harness your sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste, including Twitter-driven robots, crowd-controlled gaming, edible marketing, and a host of emerging technologies even we haven’t seen just yet. This panel also comes with sensory/technology goodie bags so you can participate in the interactive demonstrations, so get there early!
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP38396Redefining Realness for Brands on Twitter
When a brand makes a mistake on Twitter, people rejoice in a poor social media manager’s plight. You’re likely familiar with flubs like DiGiorno’s unfortunate misunderstanding of a hashtag, US Airways’ accidental photo essay, the American Red Cross’s beer-filled camping trip, or Chrysler’s angst against Detroit drivers. Fear about messing up or worrying too much about what followers think makes brands less creative. Yes, a brand can get right up to the line without crossing it. It can jump onto a trending topic and nail it.
CPG brands like Charmin and even media brands like Mashable and Engadget get sassy on the daily, converting haters and trolls into lifelong brand advocates in the process—and having fun, too. This panel will offer simple, uncomplicated advice to help brands stay smart and creative. And we’ll talk about how they can bounce back with class if they do mess up, without soiling their pants in the process.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP37253
We hope to see you at these sessions! To get in touch with Bazaarvoice at #SXSW, reach out to me on Twitter at @brentrob, or e-mail me at Brent.Robinson@Bazaarvoice.com.]]>Are you new to SXSW and have no idea which sessions to attend? Maybe you are just overwhelmed by the hundreds of options available to you. As Social Media Strategist at Bazaarvoice, I’m uniquely qualified to survey the SXSW landscape for the best sessions related to consumer-generated content and the world of e-commerce. I’ve complied a list of ten sessions that you don’t want to miss.

Friday, March 13th sessions

Beacons, mPay, and the Great Shopper Reboot
From showrooming to webrooming, consumers started using personal technology to transform the shopping experience long before retailers themselves caught on. But with the emergence of in-store sensor and beacon technology and the push toward mobile payments, retail is hoping to regain some control of their own stores. Can they? Will they? Should they? What does “consumer-centric” shopping look like? We ask retail brands at the cutting edge of these technologies what they hope to achieve in rebooting the in-store moment and connecting it to the rest of the consumer’s digital path to purchase.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP43195Content Marketing vs. Don Draper: The End of Ads
From branded entertainment and viral video to native advertising and social media presence, the real innovation—creative energy and money in digital marketing—seem to be headed away from traditional advertising. It is all about content now. Brands are publishers, entertainers, resources. Sponsors don’t interrupt digital media experiences; they help build and enhance them. They need to reach out to niche audiences in countless smaller channels with custom content that is relevant to each consumer. So, is advertising as we know it a relic of twentieth-century mass media? Is there still room for the big idea in this world of fragmented, personalized experiences? Is Don Draper obsolete?
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP43197

Saturday, March 14th sessions

Can Anyone Really Trust User-Generated Content?
We all do it. We all read online reviews to help pick a restaurant, select the new TV for our living room, or choose a new dry cleaner. We look at likes and user comments on music and video sites to identify emerging artists and get a sense of whether the next Hollywood blockbuster is really that good. We often rely on search rankings to tell us which pages have the most informative and valuable content. People have more access to—and more frequently rely upon—the recommendations of their peers than ever before. The feedback of others we believe to be “like us” has the power to make or break goods and services. This begs the question: Does the market have an obligation to safeguard the authenticity of user-generated content? Join Bazaarvoice CEO Gene Austin as he discusses the dark side of social media, the impact of inauthentic behavior on businesses and consumers, and what each of us can do to create a web worthy of our trust.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP41634Are Brands Sabotaging Their Own Content?
A successful content marketer is both artist and mediator. It’s his or her job to create and defend a winning idea that delivers value for the reader and the brand. But anyone involved in this space is well aware of the “too many cooks” metaphor— an overabundance of ideas, options, and voices will pollute even the most brilliant execution. Since branded content is inherently multi-led, how can you co-create without publishing a muddled product?
In a kitchen with two to three executive chefs, how do you stop brands from sabotaging their own content? The answer lies in developing a highly disciplined, collaborative process that manages expectations and goals across the process chain from brand all the way to content creator. But we won’t lie—it’s hard. Very hard. Our panel will consist of content marketers from brand, agency, and publisher teams that are leaders in the space and thus able to speak to best practices for creative collaboration and co-creation.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP38127

Sunday, March 15th sessions

The Future of Native Advertising
Suddenly, native advertising is everywhere—in your searches, favorite publications, and social feeds. But really, native has been around for a long time. Part of the reason native advertising has exploded recently is that consumers are hard to pin down. They are constantly mobile, use multiple devices, have shorter attention spans than ever, and demand relevance in everything they consume. Therefore, marketers must be more strategic with their ad creation; meanwhile, social platforms must prove that they can be profitable businesses, and publishers are desperate for new revenue streams. The result is the perfect storm of native advertising creation. However, content simply disguised as part of the experience, with a subtle “sponsored” tag, is hardly innovative. Native advertising is the future, but it will look very different from what we see today. In this panel we will discuss the future of successful native advertising and why it will benefit both advertisers and consumers.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP40560Screw Privacy—Just Give Me Value for My Data
The value exchange between consumers and businesses is one of the fundamentals of modern marketing. However, the marketplace has generally treated the practice of gathering and analyzing big data as a trade secret, creating an environment of standoffishness with everyday consumers. Companies have a responsibility to educate consumers on the fundamentals of their data collection practices. Do consumers likewise need to be more aware of how companies use their personal data and hold accountable businesses that don’t deliver a benefit in return? Would an open dialogue about the data exchange increase engagement between businesses and shoppers and create a more mutually beneficial environment where companies sell more and consumers are happier with their purchases? Join Lisa Pearson and Lee Maicon, Chief Strategy Officer at 360i, as they discuss the issue of data literacy and the data value exchange between shoppers and businesses.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP39661

Monday, March 16th sessions

Why Ecommerce Must Learn from the Media Revolution
In 2005 you had, perhaps, three news sites you followed, and it was manageable to visit them all. But as self-publishing exploded, those sites suddenly expanded to include friends’ Livejournals and blogs, funny tumblrs, and more. There was RSS, but that was for nerds, and all this content just wasn’t manageable anymore.
Enter Twitter. Staying atop media was now as easy as a “follow.” In addition, you could use your own friends as a filter. It changed news discovery forever and tailored content to each user. How does this apply to e-commerce? Much like self-publishing, the explosion of easy e-commerce software, from Shopify to Etsy, has given us far more options than are manageable. Now, we are waiting for the solution—the equivalent to Twitter—that will let us search across all these stores, discover new ones, and leverage our friends. This session explores the emerging solutions, what this means to retailers, and how they can end up a Buzzfeed and not a New York Times.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP41599Retail Tech: What Does the Future Have In-Store?
Customer expectation is rapidly accelerating. It outpaces the ability of retailers to keep up. And mobile? Uhh, not only did iOS8 redefine what “mobile” even means (btw, your phone isn’t mobile…you are; it’s just in your pocket), but almost every retailer and his or her mother has started producing wearable tech.
What does this mean? Well, stores are no longer the end-all and be-all. Their value is their influence on the path to purchase. Stores, my friends, are a touch point. A channel. And they’re changing so rapidly that the boundaries of stores, delivery, and even “associates” are changing by the day.
So we’ll get into it. How to gather the same data in store as online. How to gather new data (e.g., it’s possible to measure your heart rate with infrared from thirty feet away), and how to intelligently cut through the noise of all the emerging tech in the retail space so you hear about what’s worked and what’s failed and leave with a framework for how to assess your retail strategy moving forward.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP35138

Tuesday, March 17th sessions

Show and Smell: Marketing Experiences Beyond Visual
The “Show and Smell” guys are back! Showcasing emerging technologies and sensory marketing, this is a hands-on crowd experience of leading-edge technologies. Show and Smell defines key tenets of making new technology work in promotions and experiential marketing programs. With live demonstrations of prototypes and technologies you won’t see every day—these innovations bring together the physical and digital to harness your sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste, including Twitter-driven robots, crowd-controlled gaming, edible marketing, and a host of emerging technologies even we haven’t seen just yet. This panel also comes with sensory/technology goodie bags so you can participate in the interactive demonstrations, so get there early!
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP38396Redefining Realness for Brands on Twitter
When a brand makes a mistake on Twitter, people rejoice in a poor social media manager’s plight. You’re likely familiar with flubs like DiGiorno’s unfortunate misunderstanding of a hashtag, US Airways’ accidental photo essay, the American Red Cross’s beer-filled camping trip, or Chrysler’s angst against Detroit drivers. Fear about messing up or worrying too much about what followers think makes brands less creative. Yes, a brand can get right up to the line without crossing it. It can jump onto a trending topic and nail it.
CPG brands like Charmin and even media brands like Mashable and Engadget get sassy on the daily, converting haters and trolls into lifelong brand advocates in the process—and having fun, too. This panel will offer simple, uncomplicated advice to help brands stay smart and creative. And we’ll talk about how they can bounce back with class if they do mess up, without soiling their pants in the process.
Add this session to your SXSW Schedule: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2015/events/event_IAP37253
We hope to see you at these sessions! To get in touch with Bazaarvoice at #SXSW, reach out to me on Twitter at @brentrob, or e-mail me at Brent.Robinson@Bazaarvoice.com.]]>http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/03/12/10-sxsw-sessions-you-absolutely-cant-miss/feed/0http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/03/12/10-sxsw-sessions-you-absolutely-cant-miss/5 Bazaarvoice experts answer your consumer-generated content questions – Videohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bazaarvoice/QLJF/~3/gBNN5gF4Kno/
http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/03/10/5-bazaarvoice-experts-answer-consumer-generated-content-questions/#commentsTue, 10 Mar 2015 15:28:55 +0000http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/?p=11759We hope you enjoyed our virtual bootcamp “Maximizing Your Social Currency: How Consumer Feedback Drives Sales” and that we met our goal of showing you new ways the consumer voice can help build your business. The entire event is now available on-demand for you and your colleagues.
This link is your All-Access Pass to all the recorded presentations, download dozens of documents from the Resource Library, and see how Bazaarvoice products can help you in the Solutions Showcase.

9 Myths of Consumer Content You’re Still Falling For – BUSTED!

Making the Most of Conversations with Consumers

Show and Tell: Appeal to Both Sides of the Brain to Drive Sales

Motivate Google with User-Generated Content

How UGC Becomes Real Dollars (and How to Demonstrate ROI to Your Boss

We received many questions during and after the event. Our speakers were gracious enough to answer these questions after the virtual event. We collected their wisdom and insight into one convenient blog. Enjoy!

Strategic Consulting Partner David Moon on how UGC becomes real dollars (and how to demonstrate ROI to your boss).

Social and the consumer voice have changed marketing forever – but marketers still must measure ROI every step of the way. In this video, David answers your questions around ROI.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMfO7YKd2_c&feature=youtu.be[/embed]

Client Partner Kelly Grey on myths of consumer content.

Think you know everything about user-generated content? In this video, Kelly answers your questions about common customer reviews myths you are (likely) still falling for.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E85f6nRuVpU&feature=youtu.be[/embed]

Search engine optimization is the cornerstone of great online product marketing. The good news is, user-generated content helps attract buyers to your site using language that’s familiar! In this video, Michael answers your pressing questions about the impact of consumer content on SEO.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifw55Ff7o4o&feature=youtu.be[/embed]

Client Partner Rachel Sheriff on making the most of conversations with consumers.

Client Partner Frank Burns on appealing to both sides of the brain to drive sales.

Customer ratings provide the left-brain confirmation of a buying decision. Social media provides the right-brain visual, emotive spark through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. People who love your brand can’t help but share! See how Bazaarvoice Curations lets these voices live together on your site, to turn shoppers into buyers.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHb6jbj3FCY[/embed]
Have any more questions for our experts? Visit www.Bazaarvoice.com for more information and to drop us a line!]]>We hope you enjoyed our virtual bootcamp “Maximizing Your Social Currency: How Consumer Feedback Drives Sales” and that we met our goal of showing you new ways the consumer voice can help build your business. The entire event is now available on-demand for you and your colleagues.
This link is your All-Access Pass to all the recorded presentations, download dozens of documents from the Resource Library, and see how Bazaarvoice products can help you in the Solutions Showcase.

9 Myths of Consumer Content You’re Still Falling For – BUSTED!

Making the Most of Conversations with Consumers

Show and Tell: Appeal to Both Sides of the Brain to Drive Sales

Motivate Google with User-Generated Content

How UGC Becomes Real Dollars (and How to Demonstrate ROI to Your Boss

We received many questions during and after the event. Our speakers were gracious enough to answer these questions after the virtual event. We collected their wisdom and insight into one convenient blog. Enjoy!

Strategic Consulting Partner David Moon on how UGC becomes real dollars (and how to demonstrate ROI to your boss).

Social and the consumer voice have changed marketing forever – but marketers still must measure ROI every step of the way. In this video, David answers your questions around ROI.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMfO7YKd2_c&feature=youtu.be[/embed]

Client Partner Kelly Grey on myths of consumer content.

Think you know everything about user-generated content? In this video, Kelly answers your questions about common customer reviews myths you are (likely) still falling for.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E85f6nRuVpU&feature=youtu.be[/embed]

Search engine optimization is the cornerstone of great online product marketing. The good news is, user-generated content helps attract buyers to your site using language that’s familiar! In this video, Michael answers your pressing questions about the impact of consumer content on SEO.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifw55Ff7o4o&feature=youtu.be[/embed]

Client Partner Rachel Sheriff on making the most of conversations with consumers.

Client Partner Frank Burns on appealing to both sides of the brain to drive sales.

Customer ratings provide the left-brain confirmation of a buying decision. Social media provides the right-brain visual, emotive spark through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. People who love your brand can’t help but share! See how Bazaarvoice Curations lets these voices live together on your site, to turn shoppers into buyers.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHb6jbj3FCY[/embed]
Have any more questions for our experts? Visit www.Bazaarvoice.com for more information and to drop us a line!]]>http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/03/10/5-bazaarvoice-experts-answer-consumer-generated-content-questions/feed/0http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/03/10/5-bazaarvoice-experts-answer-consumer-generated-content-questions/Endurance accessories brand uses reviews to win customershttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bazaarvoice/QLJF/~3/yckmP0j62BE/
http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/03/05/endurance-accessories-brand-uses-reviews-win-customers/#commentsThu, 05 Mar 2015 14:42:15 +0000http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/?p=11750It’s challenging for small companies to make a big impact. But endurance accessories brand Sealskinz has found a way—using the power of consumer generated content.
Established in 1999, Sealskinz empowers outdoor enthusiasts with its waterproof, windproof and breathable products. As an emerging brand in an industry most shoppers aren’t familiar with, and with few competitors making similar products, reviews from users provide potential customers with product insights that traditional marketing can’t match.
“We’re a relatively new brand in a space that very few companies occupy,” explains David Richards, Head of Marketing at Sealskinz. “We have to educate people about the benefits of our products to win them over, and user generated content is crucial to doing that.”

Publishing reviews dramatically boosts Sealskinz sales conversions

Since Sealskinz began publishing reviews on its website using Bazaarvoice Conversations, the company gained a dramatic rise in shopper-to-purchaser conversions. In December 2014, there was a 102.6% conversion increase in shoppers who engaged with reviews compared to those who didn’t.
“It’s phenomenal what we see on conversion reports,” says Dave. “It’s better than we would have ever thought it could be.”

Review qualification, syndication boosts effectiveness

Collecting reviews and posting them online is just one advantage of Bazaarvoice Conversations. “Some review companies will only capture content from purchasers, and that’s their way of qualifying reviews,” explains Dave. “But Bazaarvoice doesn’t limit the amount and type of information we can collect. They’re able to also validate content that’s captured from people using our products who aren’t necessarily online purchasers.” This allows Sealskinz to collect content not only from online purchasers but also customers who purchase via their retail partners.
Bazaarvoice also provides content syndication, which lets reviews be shared across different websites. Sealskinz recently shared reviews of 34 products on 106 product pages on four retailer websites, greatly enhancing the reviews’ visibility and effectiveness.

Seller ratings promote Sealskinz company credibility

Bazaarvoice Conversations offers a Google seller ratings feature, which lets Sealskinz collect and share reviews about the company itself. Once company ratings are sent to Google, they can appear in search results as Google Seller Ratings and Google Product Listing Ads.
“We’re a small company from the UK, and we don’t have millions of dollars to advertise how great we are,” says Dave, “so it’s important people have the trust of knowing we are a reputable worldwide company. That’s what Google seller ratings do for us.”

Use reviews to learn about customers, and improve products

While reviews give Sealskinz customers buying confidence, they also provide valuable knowledge about the customers.
“With Bazaarvoice, we have the ability to access data we’ve never been able to get before,” says Dave. “We can see which products people are buying, how they’re using them, what their experience has been, and other information we can use to make them better and sell them more effectively.”
Sealskinz meets regularly about customer feedback on lower-rated products, and determines how to address the concerns. Based on review feedback, Sealskinz made manufacturing changes to two products and eliminated the issues causing lower rankings.

Reviews also enhance marketing and sales

Knowledge gained from reviews helps Sealskinz improve sales and marketing in ways not previously possible.
“Content from reviews helps us identify key wholesale markets,” says Dave “We have one general-purpose outdoor glove that reviews indicated was being used extensively for mountain biking. So we started targeting cycling retailers with it. At one store alone, they ordered 2,000 pairs. We would have never known to do that without reviews.”
As Sealskinz demonstrates, reviews provide a vast range of benefits for customers, retailers and and businesses. Small businesses in particular gain benefits from reviews that were previously unavailable using traditional sales and marketing.]]>It’s challenging for small companies to make a big impact. But endurance accessories brand Sealskinz has found a way—using the power of consumer generated content.
Established in 1999, Sealskinz empowers outdoor enthusiasts with its waterproof, windproof and breathable products. As an emerging brand in an industry most shoppers aren’t familiar with, and with few competitors making similar products, reviews from users provide potential customers with product insights that traditional marketing can’t match.
“We’re a relatively new brand in a space that very few companies occupy,” explains David Richards, Head of Marketing at Sealskinz. “We have to educate people about the benefits of our products to win them over, and user generated content is crucial to doing that.”

Publishing reviews dramatically boosts Sealskinz sales conversions

Since Sealskinz began publishing reviews on its website using Bazaarvoice Conversations, the company gained a dramatic rise in shopper-to-purchaser conversions. In December 2014, there was a 102.6% conversion increase in shoppers who engaged with reviews compared to those who didn’t.
“It’s phenomenal what we see on conversion reports,” says Dave. “It’s better than we would have ever thought it could be.”

Review qualification, syndication boosts effectiveness

Collecting reviews and posting them online is just one advantage of Bazaarvoice Conversations. “Some review companies will only capture content from purchasers, and that’s their way of qualifying reviews,” explains Dave. “But Bazaarvoice doesn’t limit the amount and type of information we can collect. They’re able to also validate content that’s captured from people using our products who aren’t necessarily online purchasers.” This allows Sealskinz to collect content not only from online purchasers but also customers who purchase via their retail partners.
Bazaarvoice also provides content syndication, which lets reviews be shared across different websites. Sealskinz recently shared reviews of 34 products on 106 product pages on four retailer websites, greatly enhancing the reviews’ visibility and effectiveness.

Seller ratings promote Sealskinz company credibility

Bazaarvoice Conversations offers a Google seller ratings feature, which lets Sealskinz collect and share reviews about the company itself. Once company ratings are sent to Google, they can appear in search results as Google Seller Ratings and Google Product Listing Ads.
“We’re a small company from the UK, and we don’t have millions of dollars to advertise how great we are,” says Dave, “so it’s important people have the trust of knowing we are a reputable worldwide company. That’s what Google seller ratings do for us.”

Use reviews to learn about customers, and improve products

While reviews give Sealskinz customers buying confidence, they also provide valuable knowledge about the customers.
“With Bazaarvoice, we have the ability to access data we’ve never been able to get before,” says Dave. “We can see which products people are buying, how they’re using them, what their experience has been, and other information we can use to make them better and sell them more effectively.”
Sealskinz meets regularly about customer feedback on lower-rated products, and determines how to address the concerns. Based on review feedback, Sealskinz made manufacturing changes to two products and eliminated the issues causing lower rankings.

Reviews also enhance marketing and sales

Knowledge gained from reviews helps Sealskinz improve sales and marketing in ways not previously possible.
“Content from reviews helps us identify key wholesale markets,” says Dave “We have one general-purpose outdoor glove that reviews indicated was being used extensively for mountain biking. So we started targeting cycling retailers with it. At one store alone, they ordered 2,000 pairs. We would have never known to do that without reviews.”
As Sealskinz demonstrates, reviews provide a vast range of benefits for customers, retailers and and businesses. Small businesses in particular gain benefits from reviews that were previously unavailable using traditional sales and marketing.]]>http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/03/05/endurance-accessories-brand-uses-reviews-win-customers/feed/0http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/03/05/endurance-accessories-brand-uses-reviews-win-customers/Yelp Suing Companies for Undermining Authenticityhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bazaarvoice/QLJF/~3/mWh6Oe_Nc0k/
http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/02/26/yelp-suing-companies-undermining-authenticity/#commentsThu, 26 Feb 2015 16:33:30 +0000http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/?p=11736
For the last few years, Yelp has been the center of much conversation regarding the authenticity of review sites – often with people questioning the company’s unclear guidelines for accepting, filtering, and posting consumer reviews. But this week, Yelp is making headlines for its stand against inauthentic review practices. The company is suing RevLeap, a reputation management company that claims it can help companies hide negative reviews by filling their Yelp pages with positive reviews. Though RevLeap insists they are employing fully legal practices, Yelp has filed a suit for violation of Yelp’s trademark and engaging in “fraudulent, unlawful, and unfair business acts or practices.”
The practice of manipulating reviews – even if those reviews are 100% legitimate – violates ethical practice; the Bazaarvoice authenticity policy, for example, states that reviews cannot be altered in any way, and companies cannot directly ask for positive reviews. This is an important issue, especially considering consumers’ growing concern over authenticity of online reviews. Bazaarvoice has long been an industry champion for authenticity, and hopefully Yelp’s commitment to challenge reputation management companies it believes are gaming the system will help take our industry one step further toward a more trustworthy online experience.
Want more? See what Business Insider and PC Mag have to say on the issue.]]>
For the last few years, Yelp has been the center of much conversation regarding the authenticity of review sites – often with people questioning the company’s unclear guidelines for accepting, filtering, and posting consumer reviews. But this week, Yelp is making headlines for its stand against inauthentic review practices. The company is suing RevLeap, a reputation management company that claims it can help companies hide negative reviews by filling their Yelp pages with positive reviews. Though RevLeap insists they are employing fully legal practices, Yelp has filed a suit for violation of Yelp’s trademark and engaging in “fraudulent, unlawful, and unfair business acts or practices.”
The practice of manipulating reviews – even if those reviews are 100% legitimate – violates ethical practice; the Bazaarvoice authenticity policy, for example, states that reviews cannot be altered in any way, and companies cannot directly ask for positive reviews. This is an important issue, especially considering consumers’ growing concern over authenticity of online reviews. Bazaarvoice has long been an industry champion for authenticity, and hopefully Yelp’s commitment to challenge reputation management companies it believes are gaming the system will help take our industry one step further toward a more trustworthy online experience.
Want more? See what Business Insider and PC Mag have to say on the issue.]]>http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/02/26/yelp-suing-companies-undermining-authenticity/feed/0http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/02/26/yelp-suing-companies-undermining-authenticity/Inflation and Authenticity. What do they mean for the Marketplace?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bazaarvoice/QLJF/~3/_63V1HE3GVk/
http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/02/25/inflation-authenticity-mean-marketplace/#commentsWed, 25 Feb 2015 14:45:55 +0000http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/?p=11729News that UK inflation has fallen to its lowest level for decades, hit headlines last week and was warmly welcomed. Reported figures show that prices in January of this year were only 0.3% higher than the same time, last year. The trend is not restricted to the UK either, economies as far-flung as China and Japan are also feeling similar movements in in quakes and quivers. So, what does this mean for marketers?
As wage growth outstrips inflation, competition is about to become fierce – forget Black Friday, forget January Sales, forget Christmas advertising - brands are not only preparing to battle, they are preparing to go to war. After all, consumers may have more money, but what they spend it on, is up for grabs. As marketers, we must find a way to stay ahead of the competition.
There are many weapons available in a brand’s arsenal to do this, but one of the most valuable is: Authenticity
Nowadays, the market may not be confined to a town centre or cobbled street but, consumer demand for connectivity with genuine companies is at an all-time high. All you have to do, is think about your own experience. The last time you had great customer service? How about a direct response over social media? Maybe, a brand over-delivered? All of these customer experiences celebrate “real-ness” and authenticity. Being transparent and opening your brand to the marketplace conversation is bold, but now is the time to try it.
The proliferation of social media and technology has also brought businesses, crashing back down to street-level. Companies can no longer hide or silence the voice of the marketplace. Conversation has been well and truly reincarnated and – is largely uncontrollable. It is authentic and it is powerful.
Brands and retailers who embrace this shift and are prepared to change the way they think and operate will be well-equipped to reap the rewards…and, let’s be honest, they’ll probably sleep a little easier too, knowing their company is on the pursuit of authenticity both operationally and commercially.
One thing, we can be certain of is – “Authenticity” isn’t a goalpost or finish line, it can’t be found in a marketing brief or a PR boilerplate. It’s a journey, one for the whole company to embark on.
So, where do we start?
THE CUSTOMER:
Remember the customer? No, I don’t mean your “marketable universe”. No, I’m not talking about “prospective generated revenue” or “total potential sales”. I mean - your customer. Whether you sell shoe laces or Business Intelligence software; you need to remember that at the end of every email, phone call, transaction, is a human being. There’s a word for, the realisation that everyone around you, the person standing on the train, the girl who served you your morning coffee, your customer, are all living a life as vivid and complex as your own – it’s called Sonder <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkoML0_FiV4>. Build it into everything you do and you’re already on your path to becoming authentic. Why? Because you’re finally looking beyond the numbers.
TONE OF VOICE:
From your social media strategy to your website, what you put out there, says a lot about your company and what you value. Make sure you’re putting out the right message. How would you read your own messaging – as the customer, not as the Executive VP of Marketing? It’s not just external comms that need a review: internal communications are all too often, undervalued for their role in authenticity. At university, I read in Organisational Behaviours and Psychology, so this part really interests me! What your employees read, see, hear and experience shapes their outward work. It’s simple really - in the same way children learn from their parents and guardians, employees learn to behave like their superiors. If you remember that every other department or function is also a customer to you and, work with their benefit in mind too, you’ll soon see the difference, internally and externally.
OPERATIONAL MAGIC:
Now, for the tough stuff. Operations. I know it doesn’t sound thrilling but I promise that it’s extremely important. People always forget about the operational implications of authenticity – that’s what leads to inconsistency. If you’re going to start looking at your customer differently and change your tone of voice, then you need to take a look at your infrastructure too. So many companies forget this piece of the puzzle and it causes headaches for EVERYONE. Let’s take the example that you’re going to talk on social media more openly and honestly. To do it properly, you’ll need the capacity from PR to man the decks. The PR people, in turn, need to be in touch with engineers for technical questions, who will also need a process for ensuring consistency. That was an easy example. Now, imagine re-writing your entire customer journey and things get way more complicated. The more heads you bring to the table from the off-set and the better equipped you’ll be.
There is no definitive route to “Authenticity” – I know, that’s what they all say. But, start off with the above points and everything else will begin to fall into place. Authenticity is a mind-set and a new way of thinking about business, it won’t happen overnight and it won’t happen easily, but it’s worth it.
One thing that is certain, now is the time to strike. If you don’t, then you can be sure that your competition will. As marketers, we need to lead the movement– we’re responsible for looking at our customer and examining the marketplace, now we need to cast our gaze inwards too. If you don’t, your “share of wallet” will decrease and fall into the share price of your competitor. Decreasing inflation, increasing household incomes and consumer spending, have all created an environment that is ripe for pursuing authenticity. Let’s celebrate the consumer and conversation! It’s a sure-fire way to cut through the noise of the market. There is no denying that we’re in in an era of extraordinary consumer empowerment – so what are you waiting for?]]>News that UK inflation has fallen to its lowest level for decades, hit headlines last week and was warmly welcomed. Reported figures show that prices in January of this year were only 0.3% higher than the same time, last year. The trend is not restricted to the UK either, economies as far-flung as China and Japan are also feeling similar movements in in quakes and quivers. So, what does this mean for marketers?
As wage growth outstrips inflation, competition is about to become fierce – forget Black Friday, forget January Sales, forget Christmas advertising - brands are not only preparing to battle, they are preparing to go to war. After all, consumers may have more money, but what they spend it on, is up for grabs. As marketers, we must find a way to stay ahead of the competition.
There are many weapons available in a brand’s arsenal to do this, but one of the most valuable is: Authenticity
Nowadays, the market may not be confined to a town centre or cobbled street but, consumer demand for connectivity with genuine companies is at an all-time high. All you have to do, is think about your own experience. The last time you had great customer service? How about a direct response over social media? Maybe, a brand over-delivered? All of these customer experiences celebrate “real-ness” and authenticity. Being transparent and opening your brand to the marketplace conversation is bold, but now is the time to try it.
The proliferation of social media and technology has also brought businesses, crashing back down to street-level. Companies can no longer hide or silence the voice of the marketplace. Conversation has been well and truly reincarnated and – is largely uncontrollable. It is authentic and it is powerful.
Brands and retailers who embrace this shift and are prepared to change the way they think and operate will be well-equipped to reap the rewards…and, let’s be honest, they’ll probably sleep a little easier too, knowing their company is on the pursuit of authenticity both operationally and commercially.
One thing, we can be certain of is – “Authenticity” isn’t a goalpost or finish line, it can’t be found in a marketing brief or a PR boilerplate. It’s a journey, one for the whole company to embark on.
So, where do we start?
THE CUSTOMER:
Remember the customer? No, I don’t mean your “marketable universe”. No, I’m not talking about “prospective generated revenue” or “total potential sales”. I mean - your customer. Whether you sell shoe laces or Business Intelligence software; you need to remember that at the end of every email, phone call, transaction, is a human being. There’s a word for, the realisation that everyone around you, the person standing on the train, the girl who served you your morning coffee, your customer, are all living a life as vivid and complex as your own – it’s called Sonder <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkoML0_FiV4>. Build it into everything you do and you’re already on your path to becoming authentic. Why? Because you’re finally looking beyond the numbers.
TONE OF VOICE:
From your social media strategy to your website, what you put out there, says a lot about your company and what you value. Make sure you’re putting out the right message. How would you read your own messaging – as the customer, not as the Executive VP of Marketing? It’s not just external comms that need a review: internal communications are all too often, undervalued for their role in authenticity. At university, I read in Organisational Behaviours and Psychology, so this part really interests me! What your employees read, see, hear and experience shapes their outward work. It’s simple really - in the same way children learn from their parents and guardians, employees learn to behave like their superiors. If you remember that every other department or function is also a customer to you and, work with their benefit in mind too, you’ll soon see the difference, internally and externally.
OPERATIONAL MAGIC:
Now, for the tough stuff. Operations. I know it doesn’t sound thrilling but I promise that it’s extremely important. People always forget about the operational implications of authenticity – that’s what leads to inconsistency. If you’re going to start looking at your customer differently and change your tone of voice, then you need to take a look at your infrastructure too. So many companies forget this piece of the puzzle and it causes headaches for EVERYONE. Let’s take the example that you’re going to talk on social media more openly and honestly. To do it properly, you’ll need the capacity from PR to man the decks. The PR people, in turn, need to be in touch with engineers for technical questions, who will also need a process for ensuring consistency. That was an easy example. Now, imagine re-writing your entire customer journey and things get way more complicated. The more heads you bring to the table from the off-set and the better equipped you’ll be.
There is no definitive route to “Authenticity” – I know, that’s what they all say. But, start off with the above points and everything else will begin to fall into place. Authenticity is a mind-set and a new way of thinking about business, it won’t happen overnight and it won’t happen easily, but it’s worth it.
One thing that is certain, now is the time to strike. If you don’t, then you can be sure that your competition will. As marketers, we need to lead the movement– we’re responsible for looking at our customer and examining the marketplace, now we need to cast our gaze inwards too. If you don’t, your “share of wallet” will decrease and fall into the share price of your competitor. Decreasing inflation, increasing household incomes and consumer spending, have all created an environment that is ripe for pursuing authenticity. Let’s celebrate the consumer and conversation! It’s a sure-fire way to cut through the noise of the market. There is no denying that we’re in in an era of extraordinary consumer empowerment – so what are you waiting for?]]>http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/02/25/inflation-authenticity-mean-marketplace/feed/0http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/02/25/inflation-authenticity-mean-marketplace/How Spectrum Brands Drives Sales Through WOMhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bazaarvoice/QLJF/~3/r5om1bVtqSs/
http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/02/20/spectrum-brands-drives-sales-wom/#commentsFri, 20 Feb 2015 22:06:39 +0000http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/?p=11719For some brands, consumer awareness and engagement is heavily centered on driving eyeballs to a TV spot or magazine ad. But for Spectrum Brands, which does little advertising for its broad portfolio of consumer product brands like Black & Decker, Remington, and Rayovac, consumer engagement and purchase consideration is propelled by word-of-mouth marketing.

While Spectrum Brands emphasizes innovative product technology and design, it has never strived to be the premium brand in its served markets. Rather, the company’s commitment to consumers is delivering trusted products with competitive prices. Building consumer relationships via word-of-mouth enables the company’s brands to leverage their biggest advocates as an authentic marketing force that validates the quality, performance, and value of Spectrum Brands’ products.
In the last year, Spectrum Brands’ word-of-mouth efforts manifested in three ways:
Product Sampling
A consistent challenge for Spectrum Brands’ products is the ability to transition new product iterations into the market without experiencing a lull in consumer conversation. Product Sampling enabled the company to generate consumer reviews prior to a product’s launch, curbing the loss of momentum during the shift. For example, an updated product for a wildly successful model in the Remington Silk line was sampled prior to launch, and reviews collected through the program were displayed on the new product’s packaging. As soon as the new device hit shelves, sales took off and the product’s conversion rate increased 148 basis points—a successful launch that Spectrum Brands attributes largely to the inclusion of ratings & reviews.
Consumer Generated Content
After implementing Bazaarvoice Conversations to generate reviews for new Black & Decker products, Spectrum Brands realized that the insights in consumer feedback presented new opportunities to elevate the capabilities of Black & Decker products and gain a competitive advantage.
An examination of the reviews of its own products as well as information it could glean from online reviews of competing products led Black & Decker to create dozens of new products based off consumer feedback. For example, the 12-cup Mill & Brew Coffeemaker went out of production nearly 10 years ago, but Black & Decker discovered a large following of admiring customers that continued to support the product because of its unique features and adamant belief in its superiority over others in the market. Taking this passion into account, Black & Decker carefully scrutinized product reviews of competing devices to find out consumer pain points, then re-engineered and re-released the product into the market. This approach across its product line has resulted in an increased average star rating for Black & Decker products that has boosted online sales by 50% and increased in-store sales by similar gains.

Spectrum Brands’ word-of-mouth programs aren’t successful by chance; the company actively seeks to interact with customers throughout the purchase process and across a variety of communications channels. The success they found by utilizing ratings and reviews, product sampling, and additional forms of consumer generated content, spurred the company to seek out additional opportunities to drive brand visibility in a unique way. This led them to get involved with the dynamic changes within men's beard fashion, which has seen a growing contingent of men who like to maintain a full face of hair. And, yes, “competitive bearding” is a sport in which individuals compete to have the most uniquely styled facial hair.
With this popular trend in full swing, Remington sponsored the World Beard and Moustache Championships and supported six competitors on their individual journeys to become the World Beard Champion. Dubbed the Remington Beard Boss team, these competitors drove across the country driving awareness for their passion. In the process, the Remington’s Beard Boss campaign changed the stale perception of the brand from “your grandfather’s razor” to a hip beard styler and trimmer that garnered the attention of a younger generation of consumers.
To complement the variety of programs Spectrum Brands engages in, the company maintains a steady stream of content by sending post-interaction emails to the customers of their nearly 30 brands, as well as interacts with their audience through social channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. These tactics have allowed Spectrum Brands to become an integral part of the consumer’s decision-making process without becoming invasive – and for a brand consumed by the customer experience, that’s a true measure of success.]]>For some brands, consumer awareness and engagement is heavily centered on driving eyeballs to a TV spot or magazine ad. But for Spectrum Brands, which does little advertising for its broad portfolio of consumer product brands like Black & Decker, Remington, and Rayovac, consumer engagement and purchase consideration is propelled by word-of-mouth marketing.

While Spectrum Brands emphasizes innovative product technology and design, it has never strived to be the premium brand in its served markets. Rather, the company’s commitment to consumers is delivering trusted products with competitive prices. Building consumer relationships via word-of-mouth enables the company’s brands to leverage their biggest advocates as an authentic marketing force that validates the quality, performance, and value of Spectrum Brands’ products.
In the last year, Spectrum Brands’ word-of-mouth efforts manifested in three ways:
Product Sampling
A consistent challenge for Spectrum Brands’ products is the ability to transition new product iterations into the market without experiencing a lull in consumer conversation. Product Sampling enabled the company to generate consumer reviews prior to a product’s launch, curbing the loss of momentum during the shift. For example, an updated product for a wildly successful model in the Remington Silk line was sampled prior to launch, and reviews collected through the program were displayed on the new product’s packaging. As soon as the new device hit shelves, sales took off and the product’s conversion rate increased 148 basis points—a successful launch that Spectrum Brands attributes largely to the inclusion of ratings & reviews.
Consumer Generated Content
After implementing Bazaarvoice Conversations to generate reviews for new Black & Decker products, Spectrum Brands realized that the insights in consumer feedback presented new opportunities to elevate the capabilities of Black & Decker products and gain a competitive advantage.
An examination of the reviews of its own products as well as information it could glean from online reviews of competing products led Black & Decker to create dozens of new products based off consumer feedback. For example, the 12-cup Mill & Brew Coffeemaker went out of production nearly 10 years ago, but Black & Decker discovered a large following of admiring customers that continued to support the product because of its unique features and adamant belief in its superiority over others in the market. Taking this passion into account, Black & Decker carefully scrutinized product reviews of competing devices to find out consumer pain points, then re-engineered and re-released the product into the market. This approach across its product line has resulted in an increased average star rating for Black & Decker products that has boosted online sales by 50% and increased in-store sales by similar gains.

Spectrum Brands’ word-of-mouth programs aren’t successful by chance; the company actively seeks to interact with customers throughout the purchase process and across a variety of communications channels. The success they found by utilizing ratings and reviews, product sampling, and additional forms of consumer generated content, spurred the company to seek out additional opportunities to drive brand visibility in a unique way. This led them to get involved with the dynamic changes within men's beard fashion, which has seen a growing contingent of men who like to maintain a full face of hair. And, yes, “competitive bearding” is a sport in which individuals compete to have the most uniquely styled facial hair.
With this popular trend in full swing, Remington sponsored the World Beard and Moustache Championships and supported six competitors on their individual journeys to become the World Beard Champion. Dubbed the Remington Beard Boss team, these competitors drove across the country driving awareness for their passion. In the process, the Remington’s Beard Boss campaign changed the stale perception of the brand from “your grandfather’s razor” to a hip beard styler and trimmer that garnered the attention of a younger generation of consumers.
To complement the variety of programs Spectrum Brands engages in, the company maintains a steady stream of content by sending post-interaction emails to the customers of their nearly 30 brands, as well as interacts with their audience through social channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. These tactics have allowed Spectrum Brands to become an integral part of the consumer’s decision-making process without becoming invasive – and for a brand consumed by the customer experience, that’s a true measure of success.]]>http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/02/20/spectrum-brands-drives-sales-wom/feed/0http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/02/20/spectrum-brands-drives-sales-wom/On October 27, search changed forever. Did you notice?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bazaarvoice/QLJF/~3/GsJSxHdO3dk/
http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/02/17/october-27-search-changed-forever-notice/#commentsTue, 17 Feb 2015 18:13:13 +0000http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/?p=11713

If you have ever been around someone doing a technical SEO audit, it’s likely that you are familiar with the technique of using View Source in a web browser, which allows you to see the initial HTML markup used to create the page. Since the beginning of SEO time (about 1995) it has been well accepted that search engines read this version of web pages, which is commonly referred to as server-side markup. In many cases, server-side markup only includes a small portion of the total content seen by humans – client-side technologies like JavaScript and AJAX are used to finish the page. Because of this limitation, search engines have been blind to a significant percentage of the content on the Internet for nearly 20-years - since Excite, the first modern search engine, originally launched.

In 2011, Google announced plans to solve this problem. Most SEOs were intrigued and curious but very doubtful, despite a Matt Cutts tweet about the growing capabilities. Skepticism around this goal continued to increase as very little change was seen in the subsequent years.
On October 27th, 2014, Google posted a seemingly innocuous update to their Technical Webmaster Guidelines that went mostly unnoticed by the SEO community. It instructed webmasters to stop blocking JavaScript and CSS files in robots.txt files, and warned of sub-optimal rankings if the crawler was unable to read these files. However, the gravity of the change was not evident in the blog post.
For the SEO team at Bazaarvoice, Google’s announcement confirmed and explained unusual Googlebot crawl behavior that we had already noticed a few weeks prior. The changes were so unusual that we started daily monitoring Google search results for a number of client websites. Site after site, we witnessed the emergence of the new Googlebot, which was clearly interpreting web pages in an entirely new way. The most visible impact? The appearance or disappearance of rich snippet stars in search results.
We then experimented with a few client sites and confirmed that Google no longer indexes the version of web pages that we see when clicking View Source.
For anyone familiar with SEO audits, this is groundbreaking. A core, 20-year old principle of SEO is no more.
Now, the Google algorithm analyzes HTML markup that is available when using Inspect Element, a feature that is part of the developer toolkit in popular browsers like Chrome and Safari. When it comes to SEO for Google, it’s time to stop looking at View Source. You must audit using the Inspect Element code to fully-understand the content and markup hierarchy that Google is interpreting.
Of course, Google isn’t the only search engine. We are also monitoring the behavior of Bing, Yahoo, Yandex, and other search engines. We have evidence that Bing, Yahoo and Yandex are experimenting with JavaScript-enabled bots. However, our data indicates that these engines are still using traditional bots over 95% of the time. We are optimistic that these search engines will catch up before 2016. However, until that time, SEO professionals must perform technical audits on both the View Source HTML and Rendered HTML (Inspect Element).
For the SEO community, this is the beginning of a new era. Our understanding of how search engines crawl websites has not changed significantly since the beginning. While algorithms have changed many times, the bots that crawl and collect the data have been mostly consistent.
Google’s October 27th blog post marks a pivotal moment in search engine history – 20 years of assumptions, habits and tools must now be challenged. Also note, a massive number of SEO auditing tools, such as the Google Structured Data Testing Tool, have not yet been updated to reflect this new paradigm.
As we wrap up the first blog post in this series, take note that this massive Google change was not named. What does that mean? Is that significant? I believe it is. Updates such as Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, Freshness, Page Layout, are all affected the Google algorithm, and therefore should affect content strategies. This one is different. As you seek to gain clarity about this change, understand that the Google Algorithm is separate from the Googlebot. The Googlebot’s job is to crawl, collect, and place content in the Google Index. The Google Algorithm’s job is to interpret what is in the index. This update did not affect the Algorithm and therefore does not impact content strategies. This update is about the technologies used to build a complete web page, and the Googlebot’s ability to read that content.
This blog is the first in an ongoing series around SEO and the impact of consumer-generated content on search engines. The next post in this series will address updates in Bazaarvoice’s Technical Best Practices related to this update and schema.org markup.
]]>

If you have ever been around someone doing a technical SEO audit, it’s likely that you are familiar with the technique of using View Source in a web browser, which allows you to see the initial HTML markup used to create the page. Since the beginning of SEO time (about 1995) it has been well accepted that search engines read this version of web pages, which is commonly referred to as server-side markup. In many cases, server-side markup only includes a small portion of the total content seen by humans – client-side technologies like JavaScript and AJAX are used to finish the page. Because of this limitation, search engines have been blind to a significant percentage of the content on the Internet for nearly 20-years - since Excite, the first modern search engine, originally launched.

In 2011, Google announced plans to solve this problem. Most SEOs were intrigued and curious but very doubtful, despite a Matt Cutts tweet about the growing capabilities. Skepticism around this goal continued to increase as very little change was seen in the subsequent years.
On October 27th, 2014, Google posted a seemingly innocuous update to their Technical Webmaster Guidelines that went mostly unnoticed by the SEO community. It instructed webmasters to stop blocking JavaScript and CSS files in robots.txt files, and warned of sub-optimal rankings if the crawler was unable to read these files. However, the gravity of the change was not evident in the blog post.
For the SEO team at Bazaarvoice, Google’s announcement confirmed and explained unusual Googlebot crawl behavior that we had already noticed a few weeks prior. The changes were so unusual that we started daily monitoring Google search results for a number of client websites. Site after site, we witnessed the emergence of the new Googlebot, which was clearly interpreting web pages in an entirely new way. The most visible impact? The appearance or disappearance of rich snippet stars in search results.
We then experimented with a few client sites and confirmed that Google no longer indexes the version of web pages that we see when clicking View Source.
For anyone familiar with SEO audits, this is groundbreaking. A core, 20-year old principle of SEO is no more.
Now, the Google algorithm analyzes HTML markup that is available when using Inspect Element, a feature that is part of the developer toolkit in popular browsers like Chrome and Safari. When it comes to SEO for Google, it’s time to stop looking at View Source. You must audit using the Inspect Element code to fully-understand the content and markup hierarchy that Google is interpreting.
Of course, Google isn’t the only search engine. We are also monitoring the behavior of Bing, Yahoo, Yandex, and other search engines. We have evidence that Bing, Yahoo and Yandex are experimenting with JavaScript-enabled bots. However, our data indicates that these engines are still using traditional bots over 95% of the time. We are optimistic that these search engines will catch up before 2016. However, until that time, SEO professionals must perform technical audits on both the View Source HTML and Rendered HTML (Inspect Element).
For the SEO community, this is the beginning of a new era. Our understanding of how search engines crawl websites has not changed significantly since the beginning. While algorithms have changed many times, the bots that crawl and collect the data have been mostly consistent.
Google’s October 27th blog post marks a pivotal moment in search engine history – 20 years of assumptions, habits and tools must now be challenged. Also note, a massive number of SEO auditing tools, such as the Google Structured Data Testing Tool, have not yet been updated to reflect this new paradigm.
As we wrap up the first blog post in this series, take note that this massive Google change was not named. What does that mean? Is that significant? I believe it is. Updates such as Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, Freshness, Page Layout, are all affected the Google algorithm, and therefore should affect content strategies. This one is different. As you seek to gain clarity about this change, understand that the Google Algorithm is separate from the Googlebot. The Googlebot’s job is to crawl, collect, and place content in the Google Index. The Google Algorithm’s job is to interpret what is in the index. This update did not affect the Algorithm and therefore does not impact content strategies. This update is about the technologies used to build a complete web page, and the Googlebot’s ability to read that content.
This blog is the first in an ongoing series around SEO and the impact of consumer-generated content on search engines. The next post in this series will address updates in Bazaarvoice’s Technical Best Practices related to this update and schema.org markup.
]]>http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/02/17/october-27-search-changed-forever-notice/feed/0http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2015/02/17/october-27-search-changed-forever-notice/